Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 10 Hansard (23 September) . . Page.. 3543 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

overridden directions of the experts engaged by Environment ACT for the removal of trees, but I am not aware that my office has made any decision on the removal of trees. The suggestion that my office gave a direction that all the trees are to go is news to me.

Ms Tucker: That is what was said.

MR STANHOPE: My chief of staff shakes his head and suggests that my office made no such direction.

Ms Tucker: Well, that's the goss.

MR STANHOPE: That is what I say: that is the gossip that has been spread by somebody. It is wrong.

Ms Tucker: It is what residents were told.

MR SPEAKER: Order, Ms Tucker!

MR STANHOPE: I might pursue that, Ms Tucker, because it is advice that distresses me significantly. I take serious umbrage at the suggestion that I would direct my office to say, in the face of expert advice engaged by Environment ACT, "I don't care what your expert advice is; the view of this office, in the absence of its minister, is that all the trees are to go."No such suggestion or direction came from me; nor would it ever. The decisions that were made by Environment ACT were made on the basis of expert advice engaged by Environment ACT in relation to those particular trees. I will pursue the anecdotal evidence that you provide-the gossip.

Ms Tucker: I will give you the names of the residents.

MR STANHOPE: I will be very pleased to receive them.

Ms Tucker: They'd be happy to talk to you.

MR STANHOPE: I will pursue that with some vigour. That is not how I operate, and it is not how my office operates to give directions in those circumstances. To suggest that that is my attitude to the trees-

MR SPEAKER: Order, members!

MR STANHOPE: We are making decisions on the basis of evidence of the potential hazard of those trees to residents. In the environment we face and after the lessons we have learnt from the enormous destruction wreaked on 18 January, that is what the people of Canberra expect of us. In an environment where we lost over 500 homes and the lives of four people, not to take seriously the need to protect our residences and our residents flies in the face of that very recent experience and the need for us to learn the lessons we must learn. That is the attitude to this that we are adopting.

At 5.00 pm, in accordance with standing order 34, the motion for the adjournment of the Assembly was put and negatived.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .